In our Kick Start series we are studying rhythms that keep us moving towards Jesus throughout the year. For our weekly rhythm we looked at how a day of rest makes space for us to love God, love people and appreciate the life God has given us. (If you missed the message you can watch or listen online to catch up.)

Practicing a day of rest, like any practice from Jesus, takes trust, submission and well…practice. Scripture reading or prayer aren’t mastered on the first try, and a day of rest is the same. Learning anything takes time, patience and persistence. My wife Jordan and I started practicing a day of rest about a year ago. We’re still figuring it out but we are so thankful we took the leap to rest.

How do we practice a day of rest?

There’s lots of freedom and it will look different depending on your stage of life, community, family make up, hobbies, etc. The goal is to set a consistent day to tune your heart to all that matters most in your life.

There are four key components to a day of rest which I believe are essential for everybody: stop, rest, delight and worship. Here are some of our experiences, and some questions to help you craft your own practice.

Stop

What can wait until tomorrow that you can stop doing for a day in order to truly rest?

The word Sabbath is derived from the Hebrew verb sabat which means “to stop”. This means we stop from all work, paid and unpaid. We stop from all consuming, worrying and wanting. We trust God is in control and God is providing.

For us, this means no email, no text, no phone calls, no social media. We unplug because there are six other days a week to be connected. We let the dishes pile up, and resist our neat freak urge to tidy up. We stop from doing so we can focus on being with God and the relationships that matter most.

Rest

What brings you rest and recharges you?

Answer that question for yourself and then do A LOT of that. Jordan and I sleep in, spend extra time with God, go for a walk, drink lots of coffee, eat our favorite food and read. Maybe for you it’s taking a hike, or indulging in a hobby you love. Play a board game with your family. Oh, and don’t forget to take a nap. Personally, digital consumption of Netflix, video games and social media do not bring us rest.

If you have kids, the day can still be restful. Plan accordingly, be flexible and adjust your expectations. Savor the time together. Kids need to practice rest just as much as adults do.

Delight

What can you delight in that you usually miss on your Sabbath day?

Take time to delight and be intentional to appreciate what God’s given you. The Sabbath should be full of smiles, laughter and love. (Ice Cream never hurts either.) As you embrace God’s gifts remember that God delights in you because you are His son or daughter whom He loves. Thank God throughout the day, and allow this practice to help you be thankful every day of the week.

When we move at warp speed it’s hard to delight in the life God has given us. Nine out of ten times Sabbath is my favorite day of the week, and I hope it can be for you too.

Worship

If you had extra space to connect with God, what would you do?

Stopping, resting and taking time to delight should bring us to worship the God who designed the Sabbath in the first place. Take extra time on your day of rest to connect with God. Take longer reading scripture than usual, write an entire page in a journal, or here are some other ideas that may work for you. You should end the day feeling more connected with God than when you started. For me, Sabbath is the day I feel most connected to God, to my wife and family, and to my own soul.

I wholeheartedly believe a Sabbath is what we truly need in order to handle the pace and demands of daily life and abide with Jesus every day.

Accept the Invitation

Having the faith to hit pause in a world that never stops is difficult. It goes against the grain of everything our world is screaming in our ear. Do more, get more, be more and then you’ll be satisfied. Practicing a day of rest allows us to resist the burden of our stressed-out and stretched-thin culture. God invites His people to be free from restlessness, anxiety, rushing and earning. God invites us to rest.

Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” –Matthew 11:28-30

Will you accept His invitation?

Jacob Vangen
Groups & Student Pastor

More Resources

This blog barley scratches the surface of Sabbath. If you want to learn more check out the books below, which you can find at the BP Book Nook in the lobby.

The Art of Rest by Adam Mabry

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer